Family of Lies: Sebastian (31 page)

“Think about what you said,” Sebastian said. “Think about how I’ve been treated without my hood and about what you called Mother.”

“There is no comparison,” Diana hissed. “She played you like a fiddle, and now you’re making demands to me like a miniature knight.”

“I don’t think she’s conning him,” James said. “She genuinely looked hurt.”

“What about all the times she’s insulted me? You don’t see me sulking and expecting an apology.”

“That’s because you accidently touched a bad memory,” Lord Ausher said.

“Do you mind explaining and being less cryptic?” Diana asked.

“Among the fey, the most beautiful are only expected to be on display and breed. Your mother is no exception, and her people would have gone to great lengths to mold her for that role contrary to what she wanted.” Lord Ausher looked at their mother. “It would have taken a shocking act to escape it. Insult many things, but not that.”

“You always talk about beating Mother and Father,” Sebastian said. “Can’t you do that by being a bigger person than both of them for once?”

“Diana, we’re going to be stuck here for days with her, and there’s the wagon ride back,” Demetrius said.

Kraven joined in. “Please, Diana.”

“All of you take a pay loss, and I’ll do it,” Diana offered.

“I’m used to awkward wagon rides, so I can live with Mother being angry,” Pratchett said.

James nonchalantly picked Pratchett up by the collar and dragged him closer until they were nose to nose. “Believe me, little brother, you’ll live with a lot more than awkward silence if you don’t get in line.”

“That’s easy for you to say. You have more money.”

“I’m joking, James, I’m not that bad,” Diana said.

“It’s hard to tell with you,” James said.

Diana flattened out her skirt and glared at the others. “I’m doing it, so I don’t want to hear another damn word about it.” She marched to their mother, but waved her hand in a warding sign so no one could eavesdrop.

“That’s cheating,” Demetrius said.

Ellie shushed him. “We can still try to make out what they’re saying by reading their lips.”

“As if I have a ridiculous skill like that!” Pratchett said.

James squinted at them. “They’re talking about both of them having to say they’re sorry, and Diana is putting up a fight about something,” he said as she threw her arms into the air.

“Even I can see that much,” Pratchett said.

Diana shook her head and stormed back to the group, the ward dissolving into nothing. She wiped off the chalk on her price board and made the numbers slightly higher. “Happy?” she shouted to Lady Orwell, and their mother smiled serenely.

“Now I sort of feel like I’ve been had,” James said.

“None of you have ever learned how to properly negotiate with her,” Lord Ausher piped in.

“Most families don’t need a guide for dealing with parents,” Sebastian said.

Lord Ausher shrugged. “You have never been like other families.”

S
EBASTIAN
BENT
so his body folded under the desk and no limbs stuck out.

“Do not speak, do not breathe, and if he catches you, we’re dead,” Lord Orwell said.

“Why are you acting as if I’m going to wave to him?” Sebastian asked.

“Because this is a dumb idea.”

“You’re the reason we have to do this in the first place. Bad life choices brought you here.”

“Shut up. I’m about to start the summoning spell,” Lord Orwell said.

Sebastian stopped moving and calmed his breaths so nothing he did could be heard. There was a flick of a knife and the sound of blood dropping into a bowl. Magic washed over Sebastian’s skin, and he knew the large mirror in his father’s study had made a connection.
Please let this be the right thing to do.

“Caspian?” a deep voice questioned from the other side of the mirror.

“I’m sorry for breaking my word, but circumstances dictate a meeting,” Lord Orwell said.

“I agree. I have received troubling reports about Larnlyon. A prince in danger and your son caught in the middle.”

Lord Orwell sighed. “Please be plain, Trenton. You know the connection is secure.”

“But I don’t know where your loyalty lies now.”

“With me, as it’s always been.”

The voice from the other end laughed. “I do miss you, Caspian. How is your wife?”

“She’ll be fine if she knows our son isn’t in danger anymore.”

“I am sorry for my men attacking him,” Trenton said. “If I had been aware he was your son, I never would have targeted him.”

“That’s kind of you to say.”

“You are such a cynic. Do you really think I would knowingly endanger one of your children?”

“You have your priorities, and I have mine. My son won’t stand in your way, so please leave him be,” Lord Orwell requested.

“Done.”

“Speaking of the prince. From the attempts, can I assume you think eating his heart will solve your problem?”

“I heard you searched through the castle’s documents. Did you find any clearer translations?” Trenton asked.

“No, just the same passage as before.”

“Then why do you think you know more than me?”

“Trenton, our teacher taught us to look at the facts and consider the object itself. What talisman would be called the Heart of Light if a human sacrifice was involved? Heart of Darkness, Heart of Despair, maybe, but not Heart of Light.”

“I like to try all avenues.”

“I like living in a home not surrounded by civil war,” Lord Orwell said.

“If you hadn’t left my side, finding a home wouldn’t be a problem,” Trenton said. “Summoning me this way takes more magic than you pretended to give up. I don’t know if I should be insulted or impressed by your duplicity.”

“Constant marching does not make a good home,” Lord Orwell said.

“I’ll have a stable base of operations soon,” Trenton promised. “Please consider my offer.”

“I will share it with Cynthia.”

“You do that, and I hope your Sebastian is doing well,” Trenton said. “It must be painful to be away from the prince after spending so much time with him.”

“Sebastian was at the castle because of my business, and anything that might have occurred between them is over. The curiosity of youth is fleeting, you know.”

“I’ve heard. I hope you contact me soon with your answer.” The magic dissipated, and Sebastian took a deep breath.

“It’s sad how Trenton is still playing a spider spinning webs in the shadows,” Lord Orwell said. “He’s failed every time to reach his goal of ruling thanks to Alchone not trusting him, and Orsen being too crazy to control. Now he thinks a pretty amulet will help him skip the middleman and become a king himself. That is why I told you to stay away from Turren. You want nothing to do with Trenton’s schemes.”

“If things get bad enough, are you going to accept his offer?” Sebastian asked while freeing himself from his contorted position.

Lord Orwell snorted. “If things get that bad, we’re fleeing the whole damn country. Maybe even to a fey land away from his reach.”

“You think Trenton will let you escape?”

“Not even a tyrant would be dumb enough to break this country’s Refuge Laws and piss off too many powerful creatures.” Lord Orwell sighed. “It won’t be easy or cheap to make the fey rescind your mother’s human-citizen status, but it’s doable.”

“Mother will be thrilled,” Sebastian said.

“We don’t have to stay with her clan. Dwarves might be willing to take us in.”

“As I said, Mother will be thrilled.” Now that they had time, Sebastian needed to find a way to activate the Heart of Light since that was the only powerful talisman in play that could beat Trenton. Sebastian kept his thoughts to himself because he knew his family would stop him.

W
EEKS
PASSED
into months, and Sebastian wasn’t any closer to figuring out how the Heart of Light worked or how to get it out of Trenton’s grasp. He and Harold brainstormed with Margaret, but the biggest problem was not knowing Trenton’s location. Sebastian asked Lord Orwell, but he shouted at him and told him never to ask again. Guilt ate at him because Turren had to realize Sebastian didn’t have his mirror and was deliberately avoiding him. Sebastian had sacrificed his one chance at love and had nothing to show for it. He couldn’t think of more options, and that bookstore he’d dreamed of wasn’t as appealing as it used to be.
Why did that damn Kevin have to be right about me losing my heart?

In the woods where the attack had occurred, Sebastian returned to the spot where he’d found the wounded prince.
Maybe something will be left from the body.
He reached out to the land and asked if anything remained of the assassin’s possessions. The ground buckled, and coin and weapons pushed up from the soil. Sebastian bent and checked every item, but there wasn’t much. No maps or diagrams saying exactly how to use the amulet. Sebastian sighed. It was a foolish wish when Trenton’s men were professionals. The dead man only had money, weapons, and no identification.

“So that’s what happened to my attacker.”

Sebastian spun around, and Turren stood behind him with a black horse nuzzling his shoulder. “How long have—” Sebastian shook himself and anger filled him. “What are you doing here, you idiot! You’re ruining everything I did!”

“If you wanted me to obey your commands, then you should have been honest with me.” Turren crossed his arms. “You said our separation would be temporary, and what are you doing with those things?”

“Stealing his valuables,” Sebastian lied.

“Grave robbing would make more sense if you didn’t casually throw that money on the ground with a disappointed look on your face.”

“I was expecting jewels. He could have been a pirate assassin,” Sebastian said.

Turren smiled. “At least you’re lying in a way that I’m not supposed to take you seriously.” He patted his horse’s snout and moved closer to Sebastian. “I’ve watched you for a while, and you seem upset.”

“You have very bad habits for a crown prince,” Sebastian said.

“Being abandoned by your lover will do that to a man.” Turren’s smile disappeared. “Why have you broken all contact? Before you lie about not finding the time, I found your mirror at the castle. You are not a forgetful man, Sebastian.”

Sebastian did not like this turn of events. Turren was usually the one having a hard time finding his tongue, and now the two of them had switched positions. “You can’t be here.”

Turren stepped closer. “That’s not the answer I want or deserve.”

Sebastian frowned. “I don’t have to answer you, and you should take the hint about the mirror. I don’t have a need for it anymore.”

“That answer is not good enough, either,” Turren said.

“I put my family at great risk to ensure your safety, and you’re jeopardizing yourself and them.”

“Honesty will get more from me than half-concealed answers.”

“I can’t tell you what I did, so just leave!”

“I will not leave until you tell me what dangerous thing you did on my behalf.” Turren stood with little space separating them but didn’t touch Sebastian.

“Fine,” Sebastian said. “I asked my father to communicate with Trenton. He only fulfilled my request when I promised never to see you again.”

“You thought this was something I didn’t have to know?”

“Yes. If Trenton comes here or contacts Father by mirror while you’re here, what kind of position do you think that puts us in?”

“He comes near you, I’ll kill him,” Turren promised.

“With what?” Sebastian asked. “He has the Heart of Light and at any moment might learn how to use it.”

“I don’t care how, but if he touches you, he will die!”

“And that is why I left you in the dark,” Sebastian said.

“Or you can ask me to help instead of keeping secrets.”

Sebastian lowered his hood. “Is this what it means to give myself to another person? Expectations that I’m supposed to do what you want.”

“Twisting my words won’t put your actions in a better light. Lovers are expected to share decisions, and you have excluded me from most of yours.”

“That was a necessity,” Sebastian said.

Turren sniffed Sebastian’s neck and shrugged. “Smells like fear to me.”

Sebastian sank his magic beneath Turren’s feet, and vines shot out of the ground. They wrapped around Turren’s wrists and legs. “I am not afraid of you.” He opened his hands and the vines tightened, bringing the prince to his knees.

“What are you going to do now?” Turren asked, looking unconcerned.

“I’m tempted to shove my cock in that big mouth of yours to—” Before Sebastian could finish, Turren leaned his head back and opened his mouth wide. Sebastian glared at him. Maybe Turren thought he wasn’t serious.
Fine, I’ll do exactly what the fool wants.
Sebastian unbuckled his pants and took his cock out. Aligning it with Turren’s welcoming mouth, Sebastian thrust forward hard, making Turren grunt but not gag. He had no problems receiving Sebastian’s cock and began sliding his mouth back and forth. Sebastian watched Turren close his lips around him and gritted his teeth as Turren moved his head faster. “Bastard,” Sebastian said while his hips now thrust at the speed Turren forced on him. His eyes closed, then snapped fully open when blue light flashed. The vines were torn apart and Turren was free.

L
ETTING
GO
of Sebastian’s cock, Turren grabbed Sebastian’s pants and yanked them down. Sebastian fell to the ground. “Come,” Turren whispered, and a covered bowl whisked to his side from the horse’s bags. He ripped off the cloth and revealed a bunch of berries. He burst a few in his hand and jabbed his fingers in Sebastian’s ass without warning.

“Urgh!” Sebastian whipped his head back but gasped when the fingers went deeper.

“You have shown that you are in no mood for a gentle coupling, and I am obliging you,” Turren said.

“What are those?” Sebastian asked as Turren reached into the bowl for another handful.